What Does God Have to Do With It?

I was not raised with God. In fact, there was no mention of God in my life for the first 30 or so years and religion and church were only used in negative terms.

It wasn’t until after I had my son, that I started to contemplate signs that maybe there was something beyond my knowledge, something that I should be looking for.

It was like someone was knocking on my door saying “I know you’re not ready to let me in right now. That’s ok, I’ll be patient. But every once and awhile, I will knock just so you know I’m still here.”

It wasn’t until I was in the midst of a stressful divorce that I began to open that door. At first I would just talk through the door, looking through the peephole. Soon, I would leave the chain lock on, but crack open the door.

It didn’t happen overnight and it was something I had to actively work on, but today I am happy to say that I have a personal relationship with my Higher Power.

I happen to use the word God because I am comfortable with it, but it doesn’t matter what anyone calls it. It’s not a word – it can’t really be contained in a word. I would describe it more as a knowing, a connection.

So How is My Life Different Today?

The most amazing aspect of letting God into my life has been knowing that God has by back. I am never alone – someone is always looking out for me, sending me signals about which way to go.

It’s kind of like having faith in a GPS system. I can’t look at all of the directions while I am driving, but I have faith that it knows what it is doing and all I have to focus on is the next “command” – turn left in 600 ft or keep right at fork.

Having this faith gives me tremendous power. When I am nervous about the next step, I just picture God right there beside me and I know that he has my back and that I am in his grace.

Because of this I can turn those feelings of fear and nervousness into excitement. The physical sensations of fear and excitement are the same – it is all in how you look at it. With God by my side there is no real reason to be afraid.

What Else Has Having God in My Life Done for Me?

It has lifted the weight of the world from my shoulders. The world is no longer going to fall apart if I am not on top of each and every detail going on in my life. It is all going to work out the way that God intended anyway – so why stress on it?

God is much better at handling my problems than I am anyway. That doesn’t mean I just give up and veg out. It means I pay attention and listen for what my next step should be – what is under my control and do that next best thing but not worry about the next 10 or 20 steps – only one at a time.

God has taught me love and compassion for all human beings. By praying only for peace and grace for the people in my life (even the most difficult ones) I truly learn how to want the best for them – how to have compassion and how to hope for their release from whatever pain they are in.

Twenty, ten, or even three years ago, I could never have imagined the impact of God in my life. I have never felt so supported and loved as I do now that I know God has my back.

I’m glad I took the chain off the door and stepped into a whole new world.